The Ruin

Then we are settled. Well send the newcomer with some basic supplies. He has expressed interest in and experience with exploration. The tall druid in the dark cloak droned the words. Perhaps two dozen people dwarves, elves, humans, along with a smattering of animal familiarssat around a circular table crosssectioned from an ancient, enormous tree. The table was yards in diameter. It had so many rings, the warrior was a little dizzy from trying to count them. Thats exactly what I keep saying is the problem! A strident voice cut through the room, We are not settled! Hes too close to evil himself hostile, neglectful, shameful if he were Talan, the curses would have consumed him before now. But he isnt Talan, Matharnac! Another voice in the room. It was a strange, static argument. The voices were heated, but no one stood from their finely carved, highback wooden chairs. Weve lost seven patrols in that wasteland. Perhaps its time to try something else. Matharnac shot back, Perhaps its no worse than losing our own people if he doesnt come back. Matharnac, The tall druid seized control of the rapidly decaying conversation. This is not how we treat guests, or how we honor those willing to sacrifice themselves for Caledron. Matharnac glowered. Let us take a respite, the druid continued. Historian Graven, will you lead us in the Song of the Towers for our guests education?

aT

Baile Bhoid
At the end stood Matharnac. The falcon hopped toward him, and fluttered to his shoulder. He said, I am sorry for my language warrior. Please forgive my hostility toward you. It was misdirected. Its fine, said the warrior. I like seeing someone around here with some fight in him. There is plenty of fight in us, as you put it, warrior. But the fight has long slept, like the treefolk. So deeply that you forget that it is there. Matharnac stared at the warrior, his eyes boring into him. Oh. Well... good. Matharnac pierced the awkward silence. Warrior, let me tell you another story, a different story than the historians know to tell. I am from Baile Bhoid, you see. Let me tell you a story of my home that does not rhyme. One without a neat resolution. Stramsts tower is not the only one near the border. An elfs generation ago, a second tower was raised, a few miles from the first, but left unfinished. Ranger patrols in Ulgidoth reported some internal squabble among the inhabitants, best left alone. Then recently, Belac, a disgraced royal guardsman, banished from Caledron for consorting with a djinni, took up residence in the second tower. He cleared ground around it, and spies report that he was seen trying to drill ogres on the parade ground. Predictable results. We laughed at the idea. Until the boulders landed. We lost four regular soldiers before we could even mount a defense.

The warrior had sat through at least a dozen of these conversations since coming to Tala. This world was lovely, but so... calm. They stopped arguments by singing together. He was secretly happy about Matharnacs rudeness. It was about as exciting as one of these meetings got. Furthermore, hed heard this song a few times by now, and spent the first few verses studying the puma lounging in the crystalline window across the room. These familiars seemed to be everywhere. They acted like animals, but were treated like people. Supposedly, they were reincarnated elves, dwarves, and humans. Or something. The explanation seemed sort of ethereal, and involved a lot of talk about purification, and the line between death and life. They called it the Veil. Historian Gravens song went something like this: Two hundred years ago, a tower was built by Stramst, the elf lich. Constructed within sight of the outpost at Baile Bhoid, but well within Ulgidoth territory, the residents would have torn it down. But the Unkillable One swore to keep his abhorrent works out of bowshot from Caledron borders. Then some people built several beautiful buildings in Baile Bhoid, and Graven sang a verse about each one. The song was pleasantcatchy in places--but the warrior went from nodding along to nodding off when he felt a pulling at his sleeve. He started awake to find a tercel, a small falcon, pecking at his sleeve. He waved it away, but the falcon looked him in the eye and jerked its head. Like it wanted the warrior to follow. He got up and followed it as it hopped out of the room, and down a marbled hall.

The soulstolen came next. Wave after wave. Most of them were orcs or who-knows-what. Some of them, however, were faces we knew. Good men. My brother, Sgein, for one. Died in the spring. Ive known him through nine lifetimes. Now Ill never know him again. Matharnac paused, and put his hand to his mouth. The falcon squawked and hopped. The warrior shifted his weight. Were... were they supposed to sing a song now? Matharnac mastered himself and started again, A week ago, a third tower was raised by the orc summoner, Orseg. More monstrosities came, with dark fire, almost black at its core. They attacked Baile Bhoid. Over and over. Many of us escaped alive, but the village itself is mostly ruin now. In that room, they know this truth, but they wont admit it yet. Theyve forgotten how to take action. They want you to explore. I want you to fight. Even if it means I am cursed for the thought. He looked the warrior in the face again. If you or any of these other newcomers think you can do something different, I will give you my good right arm. The evil in Ulgidoth is closer than anyone here believes. Those towers were pointed at Baile Bhoid like arrow shafts. Theyll be the ruin of us all, just as they ruined my home. Will you help us, warrior?

TaBle

of

ConTenTs

Additional Rules . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Familiars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Horde Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Trophies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 React Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Global Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Guardians . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Curse Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Zero and No Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Components . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Complete Card List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Learn To Play Booklet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Game Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Randomizer Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Dividers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Experience Tokens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Game Board . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Unpacking the Box . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Preparing to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Alternate Setup Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Ending the Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Traits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Examples of Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Whats New in Thunderstone Advance . . . . . . Card Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lexicon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Scenario Setups . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28 29 33 35

Sample Village Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Sample Dungeon Action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

How to Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The Village . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Anatomy of the Cards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Key Concepts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Turn Order . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Use Village Abilities and Trophy Effects . . . . . . . . . . 16 Buy 1 Card . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Level Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Use Dungeon Abilities, Equip Weapons, and Use Trophy Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Ranks and Darkness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Fighting a Monster and Battle Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Winning and Losing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Aftermath Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Spoils Abilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Refilling the Dungeon Hall . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Raid Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Breach Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Variants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Tower of Corruption . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Tower of Compulsion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 Tower of Contempt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

The Dungeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Setup Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Turn Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40

Copyright and Contact . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

4-4-4 Monster Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Random Dungeon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Familiar Choice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 School of Hard Knocks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Epic Thunderstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Solo Thunderstone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Avatars . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

oBjeCT
You are a heroic leader seeking the Thunderstones, ancient relics of evil power . You plan to turn their own power against them, banishing their corruption from the world . You start by assembling a band of stalwart adventurers willing to brave the hazards ahead, and equip them with fearsome weapons and terrifying spells . Once prepared, you will lead them into peril, slay vile monsters, find the Thunderstone Bearer, and recover the Thunderstone! Each player constructs a custom deck of cards during the game . Your deck represents the capabilities and resources of your adventuring party . At the end of each turn, you discard your entire hand and draw a new one, thus it is imperative to create a deck that is reliable and powerful. How well you use the strengths and powers of your cards determines whether victory will be yours!

ComponenTs
Aside from this rulebook, your game of Thunderstone contains the following:

Game CaRds
Thunderstone uses five types of cards: basic, hero, monster, village, and special . The cards have similarities, but also some distinctions that make them useful in different circumstances .

leaRn To play BookleT

This introductory set of rules helps new players get started right away . If youre new to Thunderstone and you havent read the Learn to Play booklet yet, stop reading this and go there to begin!

Basic cards

These cards form most of your beginning deck . They represent the simplest resources available . Basic cards have the word Basic in their keyword line . You can buy them when you visit the village, but the village often contains other, more useful resources . See the hero card breakdown (page 11) or the village card breakdown (page 11) for an explanation of the parts that make up a basic card .

if you are an experienced ThundersTone player and wanT To see whaTs new in ThundersTone advance, go To page 28!

hero cards

These are the heroes you recruit to fight by your side . Hero cards have blue frames . Nearly all hero cards have an attack value, as well as other traits and abilities that help you defeat monsters . You can buy and level up heroes when you visit the village . See the hero card breakdown (page 11) for an explanation of the parts that make up a hero card .

CompleTe CaRd lisT

Thunderstone Advance: Towers of Ruin has a total of 566 cards . As you unpack and ready them for play, you should have: Basic Cards (95 total) 25 Longspear cards 45 Regular cards 25 Torch cards Hero Cards (132 total12 of each hero: six level 1, four level 2, two level 3) Aird Bhoidwood Caliginite Criochan Deepstrider Drua Glamercast Sternnkin Thundermage Veilminder Whetmage Monster Cards (103 total10 in each monster group plus 3 Thunderstone Bearers) Burnmarked Fire Blazing Grimalkin (2) Charred Bruin (2) Hellhound (2) Phoenix (2) Pyre Viper (2) Corvaxis Avian Blackflock Assassin (2) Blackflock Conniver (2) Blackflock Ravener (2) Plunderwing (2) Slaughterwing (2) Djinn Efreet Ghul (2) Iblis (2) Ifrit (2) Majnun (2) Marid (2) Dragon Fire Ash Dragon (2) Caldera Dragon (2) Cinder Drake (2) Magma Wyrm (2) Smokeplume Drake (2) Kobold Humanoid Drakeclan Ambusher (3) Drakeclan Cutter (3) Drakeclan Laird (2) Drakeclan Shaman (2) Ogre Humanoid Ettin (2) Ogre (3) Ogre Mage (2) Ogrillon (3) Undead Horde Soulstolen (10) Placeholder (10) Undead Skeleton Dwarven Ancestor (2) Necrophidius (2) Ossuous (2) Shrouded Cadaver (2) Warrior Bones (2) Undead Treefolk Canker Treant (3) Decayed Heartwood (2) Scabbark (1) Thorned Walker (2) Withered Dryad (2) Thunderstone Bearers Belac Orseg Stramst Village Cards (152 total8 each) Bandias Wisdom Battle-scarred Soldier Bounty Hunter Dancing Sword Dwarven Bear Hammer Falcon Arbalest Filigree Amulet Innkeeper King Caelans Writ Longsword Mass Teleport Moonstone Pike Rangers Wilderness Map Royal Summons Snakehead Flail Smuggler Summon Storm Veteran Trainer Special Cards (45 total) 28 curses 7 familiars 10 Thunderstone Shards Randomizer Cards (39 total)

MonsTer cards

Each threat you face in the dungeon hall is shown on a monster card . Monster cards have red frames . You can only see a few monsters at a time, but more await in the deck . See the monster card breakdown (page 11) for an explanation of the parts that make up a monster card .

village cards

These cards represent the resources you gather in the village . Village cards have green frames . They include villagers who aid you, weapons your heroes can equip, spells you can cast, and items that make your adventure more successful . See the village card breakdown (page 11) for an explanation of the parts that make up a village card .

RandomizeR CaRds
Randomizer cards help you construct a random game by dealing from a special deck with one of most card types . There are three types of randomizers: hero, monster, and village . (There are no randomizers for Thunderstone Bearers, special cards, or basic cards .) Randomizer cards are identified by labels on their backs so you dont accidentally shuffle them into a deck . Theyre only used to help set up the game, not during play . The name at the top of each card denotes the hero type, monster group, or village card that the randomizer represents . Additional information on randomizers, such as numbers and game text, provide an idea of what to expect from cards in that group .

expeRienCe Tokens
Plastic Thunderstone tokens are used to track the XP (experience points) your heroes gain in their quest against evil .

Game BoaRd
This two-sided board displays a classic Thunderstone dungeon hall on one side, and a wilderness dungeon hall on the other . Darkness conditions are different in each hall, so choose carefully . On both sides, the village board guides setup to help prevent difficult village arrangements . Follow the instructions to set up a village (see page 8), or just let the cards fall for a truly random experience .

special cards

This catch-all category is for cards that do unusual things . Special cards have brown frames . Curses, familiars, and Thunderstone Shards are special cards with individual rules for acquiring and using them . Curses and familiars are gained through play . Thunderstone Shard cards are only found in your basic deck .

divideRs
Oversized divider cards make it easy to keep your collection organized . Note that the labels of the dividers are color-coded by card type . There are also 5 dividers labeled Basic Deck .

seTup
If its your first time, start by unpacking the box . Then follow the Preparing to Play directions to set up a game .

retailers . You can also skip sleeves altogether, and just play with the cards as they are . With the box unpacked, youre ready to set up a game .

unpaCkinG

The

Box

pRepaRinG

To

play

Put the game board aside for now . Drop the XP tokens in the center well in the box . Unwrap the cards, and separate them into their respective stacks . There are 8 cards in each village stack, 10 cards in each monster group, and 12 cards in each hero stack . There are also a small number of special and basic card stacks . Once youve finished separating stacks, split the randomizers into their hero, monster, and village groupings . Unwrap the dividers (the taller cards) . Place them in the box so the names are sticking up . Put each stack or group of cards with its appropriate divider in the box . If youre not sure what cards go with which divider, see the Complete Card List sidebar (page 5) for the major card groupings . Some people like to put their cards in plastic sleeves to help them last longer, and stand up to repeated shuffling. You can find sleeves at any game store, sports card store, or through online

You wont use all the cards in the box every time you play Thunderstone . Instead, you determine a selection of foes and the resources available to defeat them . Part of playing Thunderstone is finding a strategy with the cards you have! If this is your first game, use the cards given in the First Game Setup below . These cards make for a balanced game without too many tricky techniques . Once you have a feel for how to play, experiment with more specialized or detailed cards, and discover combinations of effects .

If this is not your first game, select a scenario from page 3436 or create a setup using the randomizer cards as described on the next page . Scenario setups are story-based and structured to create unique and flexible experiences . Using the randomizer cards ensures that each game is different and tests your ability to adapt to unusual situations . Each player takes a set of 6 Regular, 2 Longspear, 2 Torch, and 2 Thunderstone Shard cards from the box . Each player shuffles a set, and places it face down in front of him or her . These 12 cards form a players basic deck .

Build your Basic deck

fiRsT Game seTup

Monsters: Burnmarked Fire Ogre Humanoid Kobold Humanoid Stramst (Thunderstone Bearer) Heroes: Bhoidwood Criochan Drua Thundermage Village: Battle-scarred Soldier Bounty Hunter Falcon Arbalest King Caelans Writ Mass Teleport Moonstone Snakehead Flail Summon Storm

Next up: the bad guys .

selecT The opposiTion

Here you find out what monsters youll face. What follows is a standard setup . Feel free to experiment and alter it as your experience grows . Shuffle the monster randomizers, and reveal them until you find one monster group each of level 1, level 2, and level 3 (the monster groups level is printed right beneath the card name) . monster level monster group

Find the monster card sets that match the randomizers you drew and place them near the dungeon board . Put the monster randomizers away . You wont use them during the game . Finally, draw a random card from the Thunderstone Bearer cards, and show it to all players . This is the boss villain youll face to end the game . Play Hint: Its good form to pass the randomizers around so everyone can get a taste of the challenges theyll face . Now that you have chosen your enemies, lets put them in the dungeon .

pull out 10 cards . 3 . Shuffle the Thunderstone Bearer into this stack of 10 cards . Place them face down on the dungeon deck space on the dungeon board . 4 . Place the remaining monsters face down on top of the dungeon deck . 5 . Drawing from the top of the dungeon deck, fill all empty ranks on the dungeon board face up . This creates the dungeon hallwell explain more about the dungeon hall later (see page 17) . The dungeon is complete . Next well prepare the village, where you improve your deck by purchasing heroes, items, weapons, villagers, and spells!

If you draw a monster level you already have, ignore it and draw another . Note: Soulstolen are horde monsters . These monsters set up differently than other monsters . If you draw one of these, see the rules for setting up and playing with horde cards on page 21 for details .

populaTe The village

Build The dungeon

Now its time to create the village and see what resources you have at your disposal . 1 . Put out 3 copies of each basic card (Regular, Longspear, and Torch) for each player . Place the Regular cards on the first hero slot, the Longspear cards on the first weapon slot, and the Torch cards on the first item slot. (Their locations are labeled on the board .) 2. Shuffle the hero randomizers and reveal the top four cards . Find the stacks of hero cards that match the randomizers, and place them in the village . Each stack should contain all

The dungeon is a generic term for where the monsters live . Perhaps its a subterranean labyrinth, an isolated fortress, or a gloom-ridden swamp . Its represented by a deck of monster cards with a powerful Thunderstone Bearer near the bottom, carrying the final prize. 1 . Place the game board on the table where all players can see it clearly. If this is your first game, play on the wilderness side of the board . 2 . Shuffle all the monster cards together and

the hero cards arranged so that the level 1 heroes are on top, level 2 next, and so on, with the highest-level heroes on the bottom . Note that each hero card has its level at the top of the card, as well as variant names to make identification and sorting easier. 3. Shuffle the village randomizer cards. One at a time, reveal a village randomizer, find the matching stack of village cards, and place it on the village board in one of the slots indicated (for example, place the Longsword in a Weapon slot) . If you reveal a randomizer and all of the slots of that card type have already been filled, ignore it and reveal another . Keep doing this until you have 8 stacks of cards in the village (the village board will not be full) . Together, the hero cards, basic cards, and village cards comprise the resources available to you in the village .

finshing Touches

Finish setup by placing special cards and XP tokens . Neither are considered part of the village or dungeon . 1. Shuffle the curse deck and place it face down in the indicated spot on the game board . 2 . Place the pile of XP tokens near the village .

3. Shuffle the familiars and place them face down in the indicated spot on the game board . You can acquire a familiar when you defeat a monster in the dungeon (see page 21 for details) . 4 . Draw 6 cards from your basic deck to form your hand . You are ready to begin your adventure!

alTeRnaTe seTup meThods

Several suggested setups can get you started faster . Themed Setup: We have crafted casual and tournament setups in the back of the book . These setups are designed for multiple play strategies and creative, engaging interactions among cards . Try them all! Electronic Setup: Intelligent randomizers are available on the web and for smart phones . Our favorite is alderac .com/thundermaster . Using one of these to generate a setup ensures you have the resources available to defeat any challenge . Random Setup: If you want a completely random dungeon, ignore monster levels . Just select three random monster groups and shuffle all the monster cards together before building the dungeon deck . This can result in an easy dungeon or one thats very challenging! Custom Setup: There are countless other ways to generate a village . Pick only cards you havent played recently . Deal out randomizers and have players draft the ones they want . Do themed setups, like the all-undead dungeon . Play only with cards that start with vowels . Play however you like! You might also want to check out the Variants section on page 36 .

how

To

play

oBjeCTive
Prove yourself the most powerful adventurer by slaying the evil that plagues the land . The game ends when someone defeats the Thunderstone Bearer . When the game ends, you score VP (victory points) from the cards in your deck . Not all cards provide VP . Check the lower right hand corner of the cards for a blue jewel to see how many VP the card gives you . Highest total score wins!

Choose a starting player by whatever method you prefer . Each player takes a turn in order, proceeding clockwise around the table . The player who is currently taking a turn is called the active player . Normally, you cant take actions on other players turns, but some card abilities may allow it (see React abilities on page 22) .

oveRview
Unlike other card games, cards you gain do not stay in play . They go into your personal deck . Also, you dont just play one card at a time and then discard it . On your turn, place all cards in your hand face up on the table, use abilities on those cards that you wish, resolve what happens, then discard your whole hand and draw a new one . Each turn, you will visit the village to add a desirable card to your deck, enter the dungeon to try to slay a monster, prepare to improve your hand, or rest to get rid of a card you no longer need. Thus, each turn you refine the contents of your deck, changing the cards you are likely to draw in the future .

10

MonsTer card Breakdown

anaTomy

of The

CaRds
Keywords Gold Value Lightgained as a trophy only after defeating the monster (if any) XP Earned After Defeat

Card Name Health

The parts of a card are explained in detail below . There are three main card types: hero, monster, and village .

hero card Breakdown

Keywords Class Icon Gold Value (if any) Strength Gold Cost Card Name Level

Traits, Abilities, and Effects Victory Points

village card Breakdown

Keywords Gold Value (if any) Weight (for weapons) Light (if any) Gold Cost Traits, Abilities, and Effects Victory Points (if any) Card Name

Light (if any)

Attack Value, Traits, and Abilities

XP Cost to Level Up

Victory Points (if any)

11

key ConCepTs
There are several central concepts to a game of Thunderstone . Keep these in mind as you read the rules .

pile, place it face down to make your new deck, and finishing drawing or revealing from there. Your hand consists of all cards you have drawn this turn and have present . Familiars are considered part of your hand . (They also have special rules . See page 21 for details .) Cards that are discarded or destroyed are not considered present, and thus not in your hand .

aBiliTies

The firsT rule

Thunderstone has dozens of different cards, and many of them seem to break these rules . When a cards text contradicts a rule, the cards text takes priority . If you have any questions, first check out the Card Glossary on page 29 .

desTroying cards

Many cards have special abilities printed on them . You can identify them because they are preceded by the words Village, Dungeon, React, and/or Spoils and a colon . These are special talents or powers inherent to the card . You can only use these abilities in the appropriate location or at the appropriate time . You choose whether or not to use them, and in which order . Village: These abilities provide extra gold, extra cards, or extra buys in the village . Dungeon: These abilities enhance your party when you fight monsters. React: These abilities can be played any time theyre triggered, on anyones turn . Spoils: These abilities provide bonuses for defeating monsters in combat .

decks, discard piles, and hands

Players begin with identical basic decks . Throughout the game, you will customize your deck into something different from everyone elses . Keep your deck face down during play . Each player also has a discard pile . When you gain cards, always add them to your discard pile unless a cards text specifically states otherwise . Keep your discard pile face up during play . When your deck is empty of cards, leave it empty until you need to draw or reveal cards from your deck . As soon as you need to draw or reveal cards from an empty deck, shuffle your discard pile and place it face down to create a new deck . This might happen in the middle of an action. If so, first draw or reveal as many cards as you can. Then shuffle your discard

Certain game effects destroy a card . When a card is destroyed, remove it from the game entirely . The exceptions are curses and basic cards . Curses get placed back into their village stacks, as there is an infinite supply of them . Evil is rather generous that way . Basic cards (Longspear, Regular, and Torch) are placed back on their village stacks if destroyed from a players hand . If basic cards are destroyed from a village stack, they are removed from the game .

12

Play Hint: Instead of tossing destroyed cards into the box top or a pile, you might find it useful to place them face down beneath the village stacks they came from . This makes it easier to sort cards and put them away at the end of the game .

Abilities may only be used once per turn, unless they also have the word Repeat . A Repeat ability can be used as often as you desire . Repeat abilities typically come with a price or requirement, which must be paid each time the ability is used . If you cannot meet the requirement, you cannot use that ability again . Example The Drua Purifier has a Repeat ability that says: Repeat Village/ Dungeon: Destroy a curse to draw 2 cards . That means you can destroy as many curses as you have in your hand, and draw 2 cards each time you do. If you have no curses to discard, you cannot use this ability. You can use this ability in the village or the dungeon. When you use an ability, its effects happen instantly and last until the end of the turn . Only cards present at the moment you used the ability are affected by that ability .

Example Bandias Wisdom has a Dungeon ability that says: Dungeon: Give each hero Strength +1 .

Many cards (including almost all monster cards) have effects on them . Effects are like abilities, except they must be used . When an effect takes place, the results happen instantly and last until the end of the turn . Only cards present at the moment the effect happened are affected by that incident . Currently, there are 6 effects: Aftermath: This effect takes place after you fight a monster, regardless of which side won the combat . Battle: This effect takes place after you choose a monster to fight, but before the victor is determined . Breach: This effect takes place only once, when the monster reaches rank 1 . Global: This effect is always in play and affects all players . Raid: This effect takes place when the monster is first revealed in the dungeon hall . Trophy: This effect takes place when the monster card is revealed in your hand .

effecTs

Meanwhile, Royal Summons has the Dungeon ability: Dungeon: Add 3 Regulars from the village to your hand .

If you use Bandias Wisdom before you use Royal Summons, then your 3 Regulars wont get the Strength bonus. You must always meet the normal requirements for an ability to use it, unless the ability specifically says otherwise. For example, if an ability says, Level up one Regular, you still must have a Regular in your hand, pay 2 XP, and destroy that Regular to level him up before you can place a level 1 hero in your discard .

13

TraiTs

Most cards also have traits on them . Traits are any text that is not preceded by an ability or effect identifier and colon. For example, hero cards typically have some sort of trait like Physical Attack +1 or Magic Attack +2 . Trait text is always active, always in effect . If the cards you have change, the trait immediately adjusts its effects to adapt .

do whaT you can

When an ability is used against you, or when you suffer an effect, you always do as much as you can, and ignore the rest . (This does not apply if you want to use an ability with a requirement in your own hand . You must meet all requirements to see any benefit.) For example, if an Aftermath effect says, Destroy two heroes, and you only have one in your hand, you destroy that single hero . Since you cant destroy another hero, you dont . If a Breach effect on a monster says, Each player destroys 2 heroes or shows a hand with none, and you have only one hero, you first destroy that hero and then show your hand to prove that you have no others .

TuRn oRdeR
During your turn, you take one action . You can choose one of the following: Visit the village to gear up for the dungeon . Enter the dungeon to fight a monster. Prepare to try to improve your next hand . Rest to get rid of a card in your hand that you dont want to see again . With only one action available each turn, games of Thunderstone can move quickly around the table, so be ready .

Example Curt has a Snakehead Flail and a Deepstrider Sentry in his hand. The traits for Snakehead Flail read: Magic Attack +1 . Additional Magic Attack equal to the level of the equipped hero . If Curt equipped the weapon to his Deepstrider now, it would provide an additional Magic Attack +1.

Curt also has a Whetmage Honer in his hand. He enters the dungeon and uses the Whetmages Dungeon ability to level up his Deepstrider (this lets him put the leveled-up hero into his hand). The Snakehead Flail is immediately worth an additional Magic Attack +2 if he equips it to his Deepstrider now. (Note that if Curt equipped the flail to the Deepstrider before he leveled up that hero, the flail would become unequipped, because leveling up a hero requires him to destroy the hero who is leveling up. A weapon cannot be equipped twice in a turn, so pay close attention to the order of your abilities!)

14

visiT The village

When you visit the village, some steps are optionalyou dont have to do all of them . However, the steps you choose to do must be in the following order: 1 . Reveal your hand . (Mandatory) 2 . Use any Village abilities you wish . (Optional) Use all Trophy effects . (Mandatory) 3 . Use the gold value of your cards to buy 1 hero or village card . (Optional) 4 . Spend XP to level up heroes in your hand . You may level up as many heroes as you have XP for, but may level up each hero only once per turn . (Optional) Finally, end your turn . Full details can be found under The Village on page 16 . An example village turn can be found on page 25 .

enTer The dungeon

When you enter the dungeon, you must do the following steps in order: 1 . Reveal your hand . 2 . Use any or all Dungeon abilities on the cards in your hand . Equip any weapons in your hand if you wish . Use all Trophy effects in your hand . 3 . You must choose a monster to fight. Monsters may have traits, Battle effects, or Aftermath effects that hinder you . All effects occur, as long as you have the resources for them to affect . 4 . If you defeat the monster, add its card to your discard pile, gain the XP it provides, and use any eligible Spoils abilities . 5 . If you do not defeat the monster, it retreats to the bottom of the dungeon deck . 6 . Refill the dungeon hall. Finally, end your turn . Full details can be found under The Dungeon on page 17 . An example dungeon turn can be found on page 26 .

prepare

Sometimes your hand is a mix of cards that you cant do much with . Prepare lets you try to build a better hand for the next turn . Place as many cards as you like from your hand onto the top of your deck in any order, so that youll draw them next . Thats all you can do, but youve set yourself up for success . End your turn .

resT

Resting lets you get rid of one card you no longer want . Choose one card in your hand and destroy it . Thats all you can do . End your turn .

end your Turn

If the Thunderstone Bearer remains undefeated, discard any cards remaining in your hand and draw a new hand of six cards . All abilities and effects end at this time . Play passes to the player on your left .

15

The villaGe
When you visit the village, you work to gather additional help in the form of another adventurer, better equipment, or maybe a new spell . Every card in your hand goes into the village with you whether you want it to or not . Reveal your entire hand and follow the steps listed on page 15 .

When a card is discarded by a Village ability, place it in your discard pile immediately . When a card is destroyed by a Village ability, remove it from the game immediately . You cannot use the Village ability of a card that has already been discarded or destroyed by other Village abilities . Also, you cannot destroy a card that has been used for its Village ability unless the card in question is destroying itself . Example You have Innkeeper and Battle-scarred Soldier in your hand and decide to visit the village. If you use the Innkeepers Village ability to destroy the Battle-scarred Soldier, you may not use the Battle-scarred Soldiers Village ability to draw a card before it is destroyed. If you use the Battle-scarred Soldiers Village ability to draw a card, you cannot use the Innkeepers Village ability to destroy the Battlescarred Soldier during this turn. You must also use all Trophies in your hand (see Trophies on page 21 for details) . Once you are done using Village abilities and Trophy effects, you may buy 1 card from the village .

Buy 1 CaRd
Total the gold value of all the cards that remain in your hand . Add whatever gold you generated using Village abilities . This gives you a total gold value you can spend this turn . You cannot include the gold value of any cards you discarded or destroyed . You may buy 1 card from the village: a hero card, a village card, or a basic card . You are not required to buy anything . The gold cost of that card must be less than or equal to the gold value you have to spend . If a card effect lets you buy more than one card, the total gold cost of all cards you buy must be less than or equal to the total gold value you have to spend . Unused gold is lost, presumably spent in the tavern tipping wenches and mysterious old beggars for secret information regarding the dungeon . You can only buy a card that is on the top of a stack (thus you may only buy level 1 heroes until they are all gone, after which you can buy level 2 heroes, etc .) . Each card has a limited supply . Once a stack is empty, there are no more of that card to be had! Remember, destroyed cards leave the game (other than curses and basic cards from your hand, which go back to their respective stacks) .

use villaGe aBiliTies

and

TRophy effeCTs

These things do not need to occur in a specific order . For instance, you could use a Village ability, then 2 Trophy effects, then use another Village ability . Both of them must be done in this step, though . You may use any or all of the Village abilities on cards in your hand in any order you wish . Typical Village abilities let you draw more cards, add to your hands gold value, or destroy unwanted cards . You do not need to declare them in advance, nor do you need to use them all . You cannot use a given Village ability on a given card twice unless it is a Repeat Village ability .

16

Place your bought card(s) in your discard pile . Finally, you may spend any XP that you have to make the hero cards in your hand more powerful .

The dunGeon
When you enter the dungeon, your party is working together to slay one monster using the spells, weapons, and items in your hand . Every card in your hand goes into the dungeon whether you want it to or not . Reveal your entire hand and follow the steps listed on page 15 .

level up
To level up a hero, select a hero card in your hand . Pay the XP cost to level up that hero . Then destroy the hero card in your hand, and search the matching hero stack for a copy of that hero at the next higher level . Place that card into your discard pile . If there is no hero of the appropriate level in the stack, you cannot level up that hero! You cannot skip a level, nor can you level a hero twice in the same turn . As noted in their keyword line, Regulars are hero cards . They are level 0 and require 2 XP to level up . You can level a Regular into any level 1 hero available . You can level up multiple heroes in one turn, as long as you meet all requirements for leveling . You do not have to level up heroes if you do not wish to . For a detailed example of visiting the village, see page 25 .

You cannot use the Dungeon ability of a card that has already been discarded or destroyed by other Dungeon abilities . Also, you cannot destroy a card that has been used for its Dungeon ability unless the card in question is destroying itself . This does not prevent a card from being destroyed later in the turn by a monsters effect or by a Spoils ability . Example You have used the Dungeon ability on the Moonstone card that says: Dungeon: Draw a card . You draw a card. Then, to slim down your deck, you decide to use your Drua Cursesworns Dungeon ability to destroy a card. Since youve already used your Moonstone to draw a card, you may not destroy it with the Drua. Weapons are a special type of card . A weapon adds nothing to the party and you cannot use its Dungeon abilities unless it is equipped to a hero . To equip a weapon, a hero must have Strength equal to or greater than the weapons Weight . Each hero can only equip one weapon card per turn . Once that hero equips a weapon, he or she cannot equip another one, even if the weapon gets discarded or destroyed . If a weapon is destroyed, or is somehow unequipped while fighting a monster, you lose

use dunGeon aBiliTies, equip weapons, and use TRophy effeCTs

These things do not need to occur in a specific order . For instance, you could use a Trophy effect, then a Dungeon ability, then equip a weapon, then use another Dungeon ability . All of them must be done in this step, though . You may use any or all Dungeon abilities on cards in your hand . You may use them in any order you wish . You do not need to declare them in advance . You do not need to use them all . Typical Dungeon abilities improve your Attack, cycle unwanted cards out of your hand, or increase your Light . You cannot use a given Dungeon ability on a given card twice, unless it is a Repeat Dungeon ability . When a card is discarded by a Dungeon ability, place it in your discard pile immediately . When a card is destroyed by a Dungeon ability, remove it from the game immediately .

17

the benefit of its traits (such as Physical Attack or Magic Attack), but not the benefit of any of its abilities that you have already used . If the hero is destroyed or loses a weapon, you cannot equip that weapon to another hero . All other types of cards (items, spells, etc .) automatically add their capabilities . You do not need to equip them to a hero . In fact, you dont even need to have a hero in the party to use them! You must also use all Trophy effects in your hand . See Trophies on page 21 for details . Once you are done equipping weapons and using Dungeon abilities and Trophy effects, you declare which monster in the dungeon hall you intend to fight. But before you can do that, you ought to know about the dungeon ranks and Darkness .

Ranks

and

daRkness

The dungeon deck always has several cards laid out next to it . These cards are the monsters you can fight when you enter the dungeon. You can choose to fight any one of these monsters that you wish . The positions these cards occupy comprise the dungeon hall . There are multiple ranks in the hall . The position farthest from the dungeon deck is rank 1 . The rank increases by 1 for each step closer to the deck . If a card leaves the dungeon hall for any reason, shift cards from higher ranks to lower ranks, then fill any empty ranks with cards from the top of the dungeon deck, starting with the lowest rank . The higher the rank that a monster occupies, the deeper into the dungeon you must travel to fight, and the more oppressive the gloom. Adventurers often find it difficult to fight effectively without illumination in the dungeon . This is handled by Darkness .

Darkness has a negative effect on your heroes attacks . The deeper the Darkness, the less effective your heroes are . Fortunately, you can counter Darkness with Light . When fighting a monster, the base Darkness is equal to the rank of the monster . Thus a monster in rank 2 has a base Darkness of 2 . If the monster has a trait that modifies Darkness, add this to the base Darkness . To calculate the effect the gloom has on your party, count the total Light that your hand produces by totaling the numbers in the lantern icons on cards present (except for unequipped weapons), and add the effects of any Dungeon abilities you used . Subtract your Light from the Darkness . If Light eliminates Darkness, (i .e ., Darkness minus Light is zero or less), you suffer no penalty to your Total Attack Value . You gain no bonus for excess Light . If any Darkness remains, reduce your Total Attack Value by the value next to the remaining Darkness . The dungeon board you use will tell you whether this is 1 to Attack per point of Darkness or 2 to Attack per point of Darkness . Keep this in mind when deciding which monster to engage . Once youve used Dungeon abilities and Trophy effects, equipped your weapons, and assessed the Darkness, you must choose a monster to fight.

18

fiGhTinG

monsTeR

and

BaTTle effeCTs

Unlike heroes and village cards with Dungeon abilities, monster cards have Battle effects and Aftermath effects . Battle effects take place after you have used all your Dungeon abilities and chosen a monster to fight. Aftermath effects happen after the combat is over, whether you win or lose . Dungeon abilities Battle effects determine who wins Aftermath effects Spoils effects (if player wins) All Battle effects and Aftermath effects occur regardless of who wins the combat . Battle effects might also affect the outcome . A Battle effect that reduces Strength, for example, must be calculated before the monster can be defeated . If your hero no longer has the Strength to equip a weapon, any bonus or trait supplied by that weapon is lost . Cards destroyed by the monsters Battle effects are immediately destroyed and their assistance is lost . If a Battle effect causes you to gain a card (e .g ., a curse card), the card goes into your discard pile, just like cards you buy in the village . It does not go into your hand . These cards do not affect the current fight, but will likely affect future draws .

Every card in your hand is present in the dungeon, even those that provide no benefit. Whether or not a card in the dungeon can participate in a combat, it can still be destroyed as the result of a monsters effects . Example Meredith has a hand full of wizard heroes and a Dwarven Bear Hammer. None of her heroes can equip this weapon. If she chooses to fight a Cinder Drake, that monsters Battle effect (Battle: Destroy 1 weapon) will still destroy the hammer!

winninG

and

losinG

To determine whether you are victorious against a monster, compare two factors: the Total Attack Value of the party, and the Health of the monster. A monsters Health typically does not change, but your partys Total Attack Value can (and usually does) fluctuate before and during a fight. Total Attack Value is divided into Physical Attack (beating stuff up) and Magic Attack (blowing stuff up) . Each type of Attack is calculated separately . You can gain both types from cards, abilities, and Trophy effects revealed before the combat . Some cards offer multiple bonuses . Example The Dancing Sword is a magic weapon that can add both Physical Attack and Magic Attack to your Total Attack Value. It adds Physical Attack +2 to any hero who equips it. It adds Magic Attack +2 whether or not anyone equips it. Taken together, a Dancing Sword can add Attack +4 to your Total Attack Value.

In addition to effects, many monsters have traits . Traits are constant powers or inherent talents that affect the monster all the time that its in the dungeon hall . For a list of trait types and their effects, see page 24 . Once you apply all of a monsters traits and Battle effects, its time to see who wins the combat .

19

Some Trophy effects, Battle effects, and other cards can hinder your heroes, reducing your Total Attack Value . When a card reduces your Attack without specifying the type, you choose whether it reduces your Physical Attack or Magic Attack (not both) . This choice cannot reduce an Attack Value below zero . To sum up: When all of a monsters effects and traits have been applied, calculate your Total Attack Value . First total all the bonuses for your Physical Attack and for your Magic Attack . These come from your cards traits and your Dungeon abilities (and occasionally a monster trait from the dungeon or a Trophy effect from your hand) . Add the two together, then apply the effect of any Darkness . Compare this Total Attack Value to the Health of the monster you are fighting. If your Total Attack Value is less than the Health of the monster, then your heroes are defeated . You do not suffer any ill effects just for losing the combat . If your Total Attack Value is equal to or greater than the Health of the monster, you are victorious! Either way, proceed to the aftermath .

afTeRmaTh effeCTs
Check to see if the monster you fought (or any hero or village card present) has any Aftermath effects . If so, you must apply them . Do not check Aftermath effects of monster cards in your hand . Finally, cards in the combat might have Spoils abilities for you to enjoy .

If a Spoils ability tells you to buy a card, you may use the total gold value of all cards still in your hand to make that buy from the village . Unlike visiting the village, if you earn multiple buys from Spoils abilities in one turn, use the total gold value of your hand for each buy . For a detailed example of entering the dungeon, see page 26 . Your dungeon foray is over . The monsters now ready themselves for the next fight.

spoils aBiliTies
To the victor go the spoils! Sometimes heroes get items or other benefits from a victorious battle. This is represented by Spoils abilities on cards .

RefillinG

The

dunGeon hall

If you did not defeat the monster, it retreats If you were victorious and a card present in the into the dungeon . Place the monster card at fight has a Spoils ability, you may immediately the bottom of the dungeon deck . use that ability . The only exception is monster Place a defeated monster into your discard cards in your hand . You cannot use those pile, where it may supply you with gold value, Spoils abilities again . Light, and/or Trophy effects . Also, take a number of XP tokens from the pool equal to Example the XP value of the monster and add them Jason drew a Scabbark into his hand and then to your pile . decided to enter the dungeon. Scabbarks Spoils ability reads: Spoils: Take another turn . Jason really enjoyed taking another turn after defeating old Scabbark. But he doesnt get to use it again. That fight is long over. Whether or not you defeated a monster, the dungeon hall now holds an empty rank . Slide any monsters in the hall down to fill in the empty ranks . Then take cards from the top of the dungeon deck and flip them face up to fill in the hall, starting with the empty rank furthest from the dungeon deck .

20

Raid effeCTs

Some monsters have a Raid effect in their text There are a few other rules that dont fit neatly box. When you refill the hall, and a monster into any previous category . with a Raid effect gets turned face up, the Raid effect occurs immediately . If the Raid familiaRs effect involves a decision, the active player Once per game, as a Spoils ability after makes the decision . defeating a monster, you may choose to draw Occasionally during setup, a monster with a familiar from the top of the familiar deck . A a Raid effect might begin the game in the player may have only one familiar . Once taken, dungeon hall . If this happens, ignore its a familiar is yours for the rest of the game . Place Raid effect . the familiar in front of you, face up . It remains in play until you use one of its abilities .

addiTional Rules

hoRde monsTeRs
The Soulstolen are a breed of monster known as a horde . They keep coming, and become harder to kill each time you fight one. To create this effect, these monsters have 2 card types: a placeholder card and the traditional monster card. During setup, shuffle the placeholder cards into the dungeon deck instead of the monster cards . Then, near the dungeon deck, stack the monster cards face up in ascending order of Health from 413, with 4 on top, and 13 on bottom . When you reveal a Soulstolen placeholder in the dungeon hall, destroy it and replace it with the top card from the Soulstolen monster stack . The power of the Soulstolen grows each time you fight them. So does the reward for defeating them .

BReaCh effeCTs

A few monsters can sneak out of the dungeon to attack the village or adventurers . These monsters have Breach effects . When a monster with a Breach effect reaches rank 1 of the dungeon hall, the Breach effect takes place immediately . Breach effects only happen once, no matter how long the monster stays in rank 1 . If the monster leaves rank 1 and returns, the Breach effect happens again . Occasionally during setup, a monster with a Breach effect might begin the game in rank 1 . If this happens, ignore its Breach effect .

Each familiar has one or more abilities printed on it . Each ability has an XP score . You may use any or all of your familiars abilities in a turn . However, you must have unspent XP tokens equal to or greater than an abilitys XP score to use it . You do not spend XP to activate abilities . You just need them availablethe more XP you have, the more powerful your familiar is . At the end of any turn in which you used one or more abilities on your familiar, discard the familiar . At the start of your turn, if you have your familiar in your hand, place it face up in front of you once more . Do not draw an additional card to replace it .

TRophies
While most monsters offer victory points and a few gold for your hand, some also add Trophy effects to your deck after a victorious battle and not all of them are good for you! Trophy effects must be used every time they are present in your hand, whether you are in the village, in the dungeon, preparing, or resting . You can use Trophy effects in any order and intermingle them with Dungeon or Village

21

abilities . They do not need to be equipped, nor do they require a hero . Trophies can also grant Light; a monster card with a Light valueeven a negative valueis a type of Trophy . Most Trophy effects are useful only in either the village or in the dungeon . For example, a Trophy that adds to your Attack serves no purpose when you are resting . Trophies only contribute to combat when present in a players hand . They have no effect while on a monster in the dungeon hall . Some Trophy effects give you the option to fulfill a requirement to receive the Trophy effect. If you choose not to fulfill the requirement, it cancels the results of the effect . Other effects and traits on monsters present in a players hand never apply to a fight. Example The Necrophidius has a Trophy effect that reads:

ReaCT aBiliTies
Certain cards have React abilities . A React ability is a sort of surprise action that you can take during any players turn (usually to aid or protect yourself) . Each React ability says when it can be played, or its use is implied by the text . When using a React ability, show the card to all players and carry out the abilitys description . A React ability can only be used once per turn . You can use a React ability on each players turn, if the conditions are met . If you have two (or more) identical cards with React abilities, and you want to use multiples during a single turn, you must show all copies of the card .

Example Mark cant defeat the Soulstolen in the hall, but he thinks Joe will if its available. Mark fights the Soulstolen and loses, sending it (and all its VP) to the bottom of the dungeon deck. Better for no one to have it than his opponent. Mark doesnt know that Joe has two Smuggler cards in his hand! The cards React ability reads: React: Destroy this card after a player loses a combat . Buy a card . Since the conditions have been met, Joe shows the cards to everyone. Resolving the effects one at a time, he destroys one Smuggler and buys a card from the village using the total gold value of all other cards in his hand. Then he destroys his second Smuggler. He may use the entire total gold value again to make the second buy.

Trophy: You may destroy this card to level up a Regular or a level 1 hero without paying XP . When you have this card, you may choose whether to destroy it. If you choose not to, you do not receive the benefit of leveling up a hero. But you get to keep the VP!

22

GloBal effeCTs
Truly powerful monsters might have a Global effect . These potent effects impact all players, heroes, and/or monsters . A Global effect remains in play as long as its monster is in the dungeon hall . When a monster leaves the dungeon hall for any reason, its Global effect immediately ends . Multiple Global effects of the same type stack . If a monsters Global effect raises the price of weapons by 2, and two such monsters are in play, the cost of weapons rises by 4 . Global effects do nothing when printed on a card in your hand .

hall, or change their position in it, until they are defeated . Guardians never retreat to the bottom of the dungeon deck if they win a fight. Finally, the Thunderstone Bearer cannot be defeated if another non-Thunderstone Bearer Guardian remains in the dungeon hall!

CuRse CaRds
Some effects cause you to gain one or more curse cards . These come from the curse deck . Always place drawn curse cards on your discard pile . Curse cards are not affected by any monster trait or effect that does not specifically target curses . Curse cards are special cards, not village or monster cards . You can get rid of curse cards in a number of ways . When you rest, the card you destroy from your hand can be a curse . Some hero and village cards also allow you to destroy these cards . Each type of curse also comes with a method of removalsometimes simple, sometimes very costly . Curse cards are not removed from the game when you destroy them . Instead, when you destroy a curse card, place it on the bottom of the curse deck, face down .

When curse cards are given to multiple players, start to the left of the active player and go clockwise . If the curse deck runs out of cards (i .e ., all curses are currently in players decks), any player who would normally have to take a curse card gets lucky and does not have to take one . Should curse cards be returned to the deck at a later point, players must once again draw curse cards when a game effect dictates .

zeRo

and

no value

Physical Attack and Magic Attack cannot be reduced below zero . Darkness can increase infinitely, but never reduces a Total Attack Value below zero . Strength can never be reduced below zero . No value is not the same as zero . For example, if an effect makes you discard a card with a gold value, you must choose a card with a gold value of zero or greater . A card with no gold value at all (no icon) cannot be discarded for this effect . Likewise, curses have no gold cost, so they cannot be affected by a card that references a cards gold cost . Its not that curses cost zeroif they did, theyd have a 0 there . Curses have no gold cost whatsoever .

GuaRdians
The most powerful monsters in the dungeon deck are Guardians . They are much stronger than other monsters . The most powerful of these evil champions carries the Thunderstone and is known as the Thunderstone Bearer! Guardians are shuffled into the dungeon deck (using special rules; see Building the Dungeon Deck on page 8) . When a Guardian card is added to the dungeon hall, it behaves like any other monster . Guardians are immune to any ability or effect that would cause them to leave the dungeon

23

endinG

The

Game

TRaiTs
Here is a list of Traits included in Thunderstone Advance releases . They may not all appear in the cards in this set, but are included for completeness sake . Cannot Be Fought Unless [Something]: Unless your party has the thing specified, you cannot even choose to fight this monster. It might be a certain type of hero, an amount of XP, or something entirely else . If you do not have that thing present, you cannot fight this monster, thus you cannot defeat it or force it to the bottom of the dungeon deck with a failed combat . If you cannot attack any monster in the dungeon hall, end your turn (this still counts as a failed attack) . Darkness +/- X: This modifies the monsters base Darkness . It is a trait and does not trigger as a Battle effect . Darkness Cannot Be Reduced: Light and other card effects and abilities that reduce Darkness have no effect . The Darkness for this monster will always equal (or exceed) its rank in the dungeon hall .

If the active player defeats the Thunderstone Bearer, the game ends at the end of that players turn . All players count the VP in their hand, deck, and discard pile . Note that certain village cards and high-level heroes also add to your VP . Whoever scores the highest wins! Ties go to the player with the Thunderstone Bearer . If there is still a tie, the player with the most XP wins . The game also ends if the Thunderstone Bearer reaches rank 1 of the dungeon hall . If that happens, the Thunderstone Bearer escapes the area and rebuilds a power base elsewhere . The game ends at the end of the current players turn . Count points as normal .

Immune to [Something]: Monsters may have a trait that makes them immune to something, be it spells, blunt weapons, Physical Attack, or heroes of level 2 with a Strength of 4 or less on a Tuesday . If a monster is immune to something, then all of that things Attack Values (that are not directly applied to other specific heroes) are reduced to zero . Other traits or abilities of that something cannot target or affect this monster . Noninteractive effects and abilities, such as Light or keywords, are not affected by this trait . Example The Ghul card has the trait Immune to Fighters and edged weapons. Heroes who are Fighters have their Attack Values reduced to zero while fighting a Ghul. If a Fighter had a trait or ability that helped non-Fighter heroes in some way, those could still affect the fight.

24

[Something] Required: Your party must have the thing specified to be able to defeat this monster . It might be an edged weapon, Magic Attack, a cleric, or who knows what else . If you do not have that thing present, no matter how small or insignificant it is, you cannot defeat this monster, nor can you affect it with any of your traits or abilities . You may still choose to attack the monster to force it to the bottom of the dungeon deck . This trait is not in Thunderstone Advance, but will appear in future expansions . Will Not Leave the Hall: This monster is immune to any card effect that would cause it to leave the dungeon hall for any reason . The monster also will not retreat to the bottom of the dungeon deck if it is attacked and not defeated . The monster is removed from the dungeon hall only if it is defeated in battle .

examples

of

play

These examples can give you an idea of how a village action and a dungeon action might go in a real game .

Even though his hand has a paltry 2 total gold value, he decides to visit the village anyway . Theres a Drua Cursesworn on top of one of the hero stacks, and he wants it because hes been getting hammered with curses . He could use his Smuggler to destroy his Summon Storm, which would get him 4 gold . Then, if his Aird Cutpurse can get 3 more gold with her ability, he can buy the Drua Cursesworn for gold and save King Caelans Writ for later . Wisely, he chooses to try the gamble before he starts destroying his own cards. He uses the Aird Cutpurses Village ability . Each player (including Brent) discards the top card of his or her deck . Sadly, Brent only nets 2 gold from thisnot enough to buy his coveted Cursesworn outright . Brent uses Summon Storms ability to place it to the top of his deck, since he no longer needs to sacrifice it.

sample villaGe aCTion

At the end of his last turn, Brent drew the following cards: Aird Cutpurse, Summon Storm, King Caelans Writ, Innkeeper, Smuggler, and Curse of Discord .

25

He uses the Innkeeper to destroy itself (since the Innkeeper is a villager). He doesnt think hell need the Innkeepers ability anymore, and he wants to keep his deck thin and efficient. With the loss of the Innkeeper, his gold drops to 0 . He uses the Curse of Discords ability to destroy itself, since he wont be spending any gold this turn . Even though doing so drops his gold by 2, his gold value cant go below 0, so really its no loss . Finally, he uses Kings Caelans Writ. He takes the Drua Cursesworn from the top of that hero stack and places it on top of his deck . Hed like to level up his Aird Cutpursehe has the XP availablebut using King Caelans Writ ended his turn. He discards his hand and draws 6 new cards, which includes the Summon Storm and Drua Cursesworn cards that he put on top of his deck this turn. He looks over at the dungeon hall and plans his next move .

sample dunGeon aCTion

Its Brents turn again, late in the game. He knows hes slightly behind and needs to get a good turn, but the dungeon hall is not very promising . It has: Rank 1 Warrior Bones (Health 5, 1VP) Rank 2 Ossuous (Health 6, 2VP) Rank 3 Ettin (Health 9, 5VP) His hand contains: Rangers Wilderness Map, Bhoidwood Stalker (Attack +4), Deepstrider Warden (Attack +4), Ogre, Ogre Mage, Torch .

26

He can kill the Ossuous, but that doesnt net him muchjust 2 VP . The Ettin is worth 5 VP, but Brent has two problems . The first problem with the Ettin is that its in rank 3. Hell need 1 more point of Attack (to match the Ettins Health 9) and 2 more points of Light (to cancel the Attack 4 from the dungeons Darkness) to bring it down . Brent can switch the Ettin forward with his Bhoidwood Stalker to get rid of some of the Darkness problem . But hed still be 1 point of Attack and 1 point of Light short . The second problem is that the Ettins Battle effect (Destroy one hero without Magic Attack) will kill one of his rangers before the attack hits home . A tough enemy! Brent needs a plan. He has three things going for him: 1. His Deepstrider Warden can use his advance knowledge to manipulate the dungeon deck and snag a potential Attack bonus . 2. His Rangers Wilderness Map can point him in the right direction, get him a creature from the bottom of the deck, and draw a card . 3 . If he can get the right monster into rank 3, his Bhoidwood Stalker can then switch it forward so he isnt dealing with a big Darkness penalty .

Its risky, but this is how you win games. His first play is to use his Deepstrider Warden to reveal the top 2 cards of the dungeon deck . He reveals Canker Treant (Undead Treefolk, Health 8), and Warrior Bones (Undead Skeleton, Health 5). He places the Canker Treant on the bottom of the deck and leaves the weak Warrior Bones on top of the deck, for his opponents. He now has an additional +1 Attack for both Rangers against undead treefolk, and undead skeletons .

Of course it will get better, because Brent can switch him forward, but although this will be enough to defeat the Treant, it still wont be enough to halt that nasty Aftermath effect, which will have him drawing only 4 cards next turn. However, Brent still has a card to draw because of his Rangers Wilderness Map. He flips it over to find a Glamercast Bardperfect. That 50/50 shot paid off . He switches the Ossuous and Canker Treant . That gives him 12 Attack and 2 Light against rank 2 . Finally, he activates his Bard, giving his two rangers Magic Attack +1 each, to go with the Glamercasts Magic Attack +2 . Thats a Total Attack Value of 14 and 2 Light, which is just what he needs to overcome the Darkness and nullify the Aftermath effect . Not only does he snag the 6 VP for the Canker Treant, but he gets a full 6-card hand next turn, and leaves a dungeon hall that has no monster worth more than 2 VP! A job well done by the subtle and insightful rangers . Brent is in excellent shape as the game draws to its climactic ending!

Brent only has two cards left in his deck, and he knows one of them is a key hero . It is time to get lucky and try to set up a good turn this turn and next. He uses the Rangers Wilderness Map to put Canker Treant into rank 3, and puts the Ettin on the bottom of the dungeon deck . This puts an 8 Health monster in rank 3, against his Attack of 10 (+4 from each Ranger, and two +1 bonuses from his Deepstrider Wardens reconnaissance) and 1 Light .

27

whaTs new

in ThundeRsTone Towers of Ruin is the first release of Thunderstone Advance, and a jumping-on point for new players . Classic Thunderstone and Thunderstone Advance are completely compatible! Heres what weve done:

advanCe
by Thunderstone Bearers . Thunderstones might reappear in a different form . Archers have been replaced with Rangers . Dungeon Changes: The wilderness side of the board is four slots long with simplified Darkness rules, while the dungeon side keeps three ranks with classic Darkness rules . The wilderness side is easier to use for new players since each rank gives you only 1 to Attack . The dungeon side provides greater challenge for experienced players where each rank gives you 2 to Attack . Finally, monsters are rated at levels 13, to provide balanced setups . This helps avoid a stall and gets players into the dungeon quicker . New Action: Prepare has been added to the actions you can take on your turn . New Card Types: Familiars give the players more of a sense of being part of the party . Curses have replaced generic Disease cards, but note that the keywords indicate that curses are also diseases . Clerics and other cards that interact with Disease cards work the same way with Curse cards . New Graphics: Better icons, color-coded card types, and a more accessible card face make the game easier to learn . It also allows for larger art and more text . New Starting Cards: The Militia card was prone to taking long rest breaks and has been replaced

by the Regular, who is a bit more competent and easier to level . We also replaced Dagger with Longspear, and Iron Rations have been replaced with the all-new Thunderstone Shard . These changes are designed to give players more options for getting to the dungeon in the early game . Randomizers: We put extra information on the randomizer cards to make random setups more user-friendly . Rules Clarifications: The restriction on destruction of cards by other cards has been clarified. Timing rules have been extensively clarified. Rules Tweaks: Strength = 0 destruction is no longer a rule, but that text may still appear on certain cards . Destroyed cards are destroyed immediately . There is no opt-out rule for spells or anything else . Village Board: The new village board will dramatically lower the chance of peculiar village setups . You can mix Thunderstone and Thunderstone Advance cards together! Just remember that Battle actions on monsters that destroy cards in Thunderstone work in exactly the same way as Aftermath now does in Thunderstone Advance (unless the card specifies otherwise). Aftermath has allowed us to clarify that change . The cards functionally behave as they always did .

Advanced Story: At the close of Heart of Doom (the previous Thunderstone set), the heroes were gated into a new world . Thunderstone Advance now uses thematic ties set in a consistent world . A story will build among the cards with additions such as flavor text. Better Terminology: Attack has become Physical Attack . Darkness replaces Light Penalty . React is a new ability type that replaces ponderous text descriptions . Raid is now a term that covers card effects that occur on reveal from the dungeon deck (this includes Stalk effects as well) . Aftermath effects have been split off from Battle effects . The timing of Aftermath effects now means you can lose a card before you get a chance to use its Spoils ability . Bosses: The game is won not when you pick up a rock, but when you defeat the Thunderstone Bearer, or when the Thunderstone Bearer escapes the dungeon hall . Cards on Hiatus: Traps and Treasures have been held back until we finish testing new implementations . Thunderstones were replaced

28

CaRd GlossaRy
Aird: At levels 1 and 2, you also discard a card from your deck . The player controlling the Aird may choose which of the discarded cards to take advantage of .

Blackflock Ravener: This Raid effect destroys a card in the active players handafter a fight, but before discarding the hand at the end of the turn . The Raid effect does not occur when a hero or village card allows you to look at cards in the dungeon deck . Blazing Grimalkin: If a player does not have 3 cards to discard, that player may discard the entire hand to avoid the XP penalty . If a player has no XP, he or she may choose not to discard cards . The penalty has no effect . Bounty Hunter: When you use the Spoils ability on this card, use the total gold value of all cards showing in your hand . If you buy a Filigree Amulet, you can also buy another card as well .

Caliginite: The additional Physical Attack only applies if you have a negative modifier to your Total Attack Value due to insufficient Light. Darkness in deeper ranks doesnt count .

Ash Dragon: The Battle effect includes Regulars, who are level 0 heroes .

Bandias Wisdom: You get to keep 1 XP at the end of your turn (as long as you dont spend it) .

Dancing Sword: This magical sword attacks and provides Light all on its own . It gets better when equipped . If it is not equipped, it adds to your partys Total Attack Value . If equipped, it adds its Physical Attack and Magic Attack to the equipped heros Attack Value . Deepstrider: When you reveal cards from the dungeon deck, you may place them back on the top or bottom of the dungeon deck . This can be handy when used with a Rangers Wilderness Map .

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Drua: Village/Dungeon means you may use this as a Village or Dungeon ability .

Dwarven Ancestor: Darkness remains if the Light present is not enough to remove all penalties to your partys Total Attack Value .

Falcon Arbalest: A hero equipped with this weapon has an Attack Value of 5, unless an ability or effect affects weapons . Since the Attack reduction is a trait, it is continuously in effectthe equipped hero receives no bonus from Glamercast traits, etc . If a hero can somehow equip more than one weapon, the Falcon Arbalest does not reduce Attack added from other weapons . This weapons Attack does not apply to monsters in rank 1 . Filigree Amulet: When you buy this card, put it in your discard pile . If it is in your hand at the end of your turn, destroy it whether it was useful or not . If you discard it or put it back on your deck before the end of your turn, do not destroy it . If you draw the card for some purpose other than putting into your hand (such as Airds Village ability), do not destroy it . Follow the directions of the effect that made you draw the card . You can stack a Filigree Amulet buy with other multiple-buy effects (such as Innkeeper) but not with its own buy effect . For instance, you cannot buy four Filigree Amulet cards with 8 gold in one

turn by chaining their traits together . This is because the Filigree Amulet gives you a second buy, not an additional buy . Glamercast: The additional Magic Attack applies only to heroes present in your hand at the time you use the ability .

Innkeeper: You may buy two cards only if you destroy a villager or hero first. You are not required to buy a second card .

Dwarven Bear Hammer: A hero with the dwarf keyword may equip this weapon regardless of Strength value, even if the dwarf is reduced to 0 Strength . Other heroes may equip it normally if they meet the Strength requirement .

King Caelans Writ: As a Village ability, this occurs in the first part of the action. Thus, it ends your turn before you get to buy or level up . You may still use other Village abilities before you use this one, however .

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Lesser Phoenix:Although normally you may use all of a familiars abilities in a turn if you have sufficient XP, the lesser phoenix is more powerful . You may use only one of its abilities in a turn before discarding it . Longspear: Longspears are polearms . If you draw a Longspear as part of a Dungeon ability, and you have an available Regular to equip it, you can use the newlyequipped Regulars Dungeon ability to draw another card . Magma Wyrm: If somehow two of these end up in ranks 1 and 2, the active player chooses which order to resolve their traits, and thus chooses whether the players face one Magma Wyrm Breach effect or two . Mass Teleport: Be sure to use this as your last Dungeon ability, because it ends your Dungeon abilities . (You can still equip weapons and use Trophy effects .) This prevents players from chaining these together .

Necrophidius: If you cannot attack this monster because you do not have enough heroes, you cannot send it to the bottom of the deck with a failed attack . Although Trophy effects are mandatory, the specific wording of this one allows you to choose whether to use it . It is only mandatory that you make the choice . This Trophy effect does not allow you to add a hero to your hand . Leveled-up heroes are discarded as normal . Ossuous: If you cannot attack this monster because you do not have the proper level of heroes, you cannot send this monster to the bottom of the dungeon deck with a failed attack . Phoenix: Since Trophy effects are mandatory, the Phoenix goes back to the top of the dungeon deck each time it appears in your hand, regardless of which action you take, unless you discard it or place it on your deck before you must resolve the Trophy effect . Sadly, you lose the VP for it when its Trophy effect occurs . It got better .

Pike: A Battle effect that affects multiple heroes simultaneously is not entirely canceled . Only the portion that affects the hero equipped with the Pike is canceled .

Rangers Wilderness Map: If the revealed card is a Guardian or a non-monster card, just put it back on the bottom of the dungeon deck . Now you know .

Regular: Regulars are level 0 heroes . They must be equipped with a polearm at the time they use their Dungeon ability .

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Royal Summons: Remember, Spoils abilities are optional . If you want to keep your 3 Regulars, you may . If you dont have 3 Regulars to destroy for the Spoils ability (because of Battle or Aftermath effects), then destroy as many as you can . You may not destroy some and keep some . The destruction is all or nothing . Shadow Cat: The 3XP ability applies if your Light is insufficient to eliminate all of the Darkness, and you must reduce your Total Attack Value by some amount .

Smuggler: The React ability allows you to buy a card from the village on another players turn . You can also use it if you lose a combat .

Thorned Walker: Monsters you destroy must come from your hand, not the dungeon hall .

Snakehead Flail: For a level 1 hero, this weapon adds Magic Attack +2 . For a level 2 hero, this weapon adds Magic Attack +3 . For a level 3 hero, this weapon adds Magic Attack +4 . Regular heroes add only Magic Attack +1 . Sternnkin: At levels 2 and 3 you can reduce this heros Strength to give him a bonus against a smaller monster . Just be careful he doesnt lose his weapon .

Shrouded Cadaver: Although Trophy effects are mandatory, the specific wording of this one allows you to choose whether to use it . It is only mandatory that you make the choice .

Thundermage Bolter: You may put the monster in rank 1 directly into your discard pile . There is not even a combat, so no Battle, Aftermath, or Spoils effects occur . You get no XP from the monster, but you do get VP at the end of the game . Your turn ends immediately afterward . You may also choose to ignore this Dungeon ability and fight the monster in rank 1 normally . Thunderstone Shard: Even though you start with 2 in your basic deck, these are not basic cards . There is currently no way to acquire more during a game .

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Veteran Trainer: The Village ability keys off the number of monsters in your hand . Its not concerned with monsters in the dungeon hall . The Spoils ability lets you level up a hero without visiting the village . Whetmage: As a Dungeon ability, leveling up happens before you actually fight. The level 3 Whetmage lets you level up all heroes in your hand . Its best to do it all at once, so you dont accidentally level up the same hero twice .

lexiCon
Action: Your choice of destination during your turn: visit the village, enter the dungeon, prepare, or rest . Active Player: The player whose turn it is . Aftermath Effect: An effect some monsters apply after Total Attack Value is compared to Health. This occurs after victory is determined, whether or not the player is victorious . Attack: The indeterminate form of Physical Attack and/or Magic Attack . Generally used on cards like curse cards, or the occasional trait . Attack Value: The total Physical Attack and Magic Attack from a single hero . A heros attack value includes any equipped weapons and other effects that adjust this value . Basic Deck: Beginning cards that form a players initial deck . Contains 6 Regular, 2 Longspear, 2 Torch, and 2 Thunderstone Shard cards . Battle Effect: An effect some monsters apply before Total Attack Value is compared to its Health. Breach Effect: An effect some monsters have that occurs when the monster reaches rank 1 of the dungeon hall .

Darkness: Penalty applied to Total Attack Value in the dungeon hall, representing literal darkness or ambient gloom . Reduced by Light . Defeat: Overcome a monster and put it into your discard pile . Destroy: Remove a card from the game . Discard: Put a card in your discard pile . Discards are always chosen by the player who must do the discarding, unless some other method is specified. Discard Pile: Where your discards go. Shuffle it to make a new deck only when your personal deck is depleted, and you must draw or reveal a card from your deck . Dungeon: Where the monsters live . Dungeon Ability: An ability some cards grant when you choose the enter the dungeon action . Dungeon Deck: The face-down cards that comprise all the hidden monsters remaining in the dungeon . Dungeon Hall: The collected ranks in which face-up monsters await combat . Global Effect: An effect some monsters have that affects all players at all times as long as the monster is in the dungeon hall .

33

Gold Cost: The amount of gold necessary to purchase a village card . Gold Value: The number of gold that a card, ability, or effect provides for purchases . Hand: All cards drawn and usable for play, whether revealed or not . Cards drawn as a result of abilities and effects are considered part of a hand . Discarded and destroyed cards are not in a hand . Health: The number on a monster card, modified by traits, abilities, and effects, that must be met or exceeded by Total Attack Value to defeat that monster . This does not include Darkness . Keyword: Term below the cards name that indicates what kind of card it is . Light: A value that reduces Darkness in the dungeon hall . If there is Light means if there is any Light present at all, even if the total Light is less than the Darkness . If there is no Light means the party has no illumination of any sort . If there is Darkness refers to a situation where there may or may not be Light, but it is not enough to completely cancel the Darkness . Monster: A card drawn from the dungeon deck that must be defeated to earn VP .

Present: Cards in your hand, available to be used in play . Raid Effect: An effect on some monsters that occurs when the monster first appears in the dungeon hall . React Ability: An ability some cards grant that occurs in response to something else . You can play this ability any time it is appropriate . Reveal: Show a card to all players . Spoils Ability: An ability some cards grant that occurs after defeating a monster . Strength: A heros ability to wield a weapon . A heros Strength must equal or exceed a weapons Weight to equip it . Total Attack Value: The sum of Physical Attack and Magic Attack for all cards you have revealed in a single turn including all bonuses and penalties . This includes bonuses from spells and Darkness penalties . its what you use to see if you defeat a monster . Total Gold Value: The entirety of all gold values provided by cards, abilities, and effects in a single turn, including all bonuses and penalties . Its what you use to make your buy in the village . Trait: Rules text on a card that is not an ability or effect and is always active . Examples include immunity, attack, bonuses, etc .

Trophy Effect: An effect on monster cards that occurs when present in a players hand . If a monster has a Light value, its a Trophy effect . Village: Where the villagers live . You ready your deck for the dungeon by buying cards here . Village Ability: An ability some cards grant when you choose the visit the village action . Village Stack: All village or basic cards with the same name located in the village . VP: Victory point . Used to score the game and determine the winner . Weight: The heaviness of a weapon . A heros Strength must equal or exceed a weapons Weight to equip it . XP: Experience point . Used to level up your heroes or power special abilities .

34

sCenaRio seTups
These scenarios tell the story of the exploration of the towers near the ruins of Baile Bhoid . Play through these scenarios to delve into the tenebrous towers of the Thunderstone Bearers and defeat the twisted horrors within that threaten peace and civilization .

ToweR

of

Compulsion

I dont understand how Belac could have gathered such a force so quickly. Those barracks werent even here last week. All this materiel must have been teleported in somehow. Check with the wizards and see if theyve noticed any ripples or whatever they call it. Those damn Corvaxis finally chose a side. The wrong side. One of them stole my favorite hat yesterday. Probably used it in one of their sodden nests. Report to Capitoline Mount that well need at least another regiment to put this down. I hate to think that traitor Belac used to be one of ours. Bhoidwood Slayer Bann Evener, notes from southern border patrol Use the Dungeon side of the game board .

ToweR

of

CoRRupTion

The insects are your first notice. Theyre the only wildlife left. You notice that even before the smell of rotting meat. Wherever undead gather, they kill indiscriminately. Not for food or even sport. Because they hate life. Only insects survive that hatred. Thats how you know when youre getting close to the elf lichs toweryou only see insects. Thats when you do one final checkyour armor, your weapons, your tools. Tie down that loose strap! The Returned will grab at anything to drag you down, and speed is our best asset. Stay on your feet to stay among the living. Calum Featherborne, Deepstrider Warden, addressing his patrol Use the Wilderness side of the game board .
Caliginite Deepstrider Sternnkin Whetmage

heroes

Aird Bhoidwood Thundermage Veilminder

heroes

Bandias Wisdom Battle-scarred Soldier Dwarven Bear Hammer Filigree Amulet Innkeeper Longsword Snakehead Flail Veteran Trainer

village

Undead Skeleton Undead Horde Undead Treefolk Stramst (Thunderstone Bearer)

MonsTers

Battle-scarred Soldier Bounty Hunter Falcon Arbalest Innkeeper Longsword Mass Teleport Moonstone Summon Storm

village

Kobold Humanoid Corvaxis Avian Ogre Humanoid Belac (Thunderstone Bearer)

MonsTers

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ToweR

of

ConTempT

All around the tower, flames. Not a cheery bonfire that chases the cold, this is a dark, hungry conflagration. Dragons wheel above, soaring on the updraft above Orsegs central tower. That summoner must be entirely mad. Not even kobolds like to wake dragons. Kobold clans spend a generation just trying to keep their draconic gods asleep. Orseg has awakened what looks like near a dozen of them. He couldnt have done that alone. This might be the good death I have trained for. Habloc Watersong, Veilminder Martyr of Baile Bhoid Use the Dungeon side of the game board .
Criochan Deepstrider Drua Glamercast

heroes

Dancing Sword Innkeeper King Caelans Writ Mass Teleport Pike Rangers Wilderness Map Royal Summons Smuggler

village

MonsTers

Burnmarked Fire Dragon Fire Djinni Efreet Orseg (Thunderstone Bearer)

36

vaRianTs
After youve got a few games under your belt, try some of these variants to mix things up .

epiC ThundeRsTone
This radical variant allows you to play with every Thunderstone card you ownexcept randomizers .

dungeon seTup

4-4-4 monsTeR seTup

After choosing monsters, separate four random level 2 and four random level 3 monsters. Shuffle those 8 cards together with a Thunderstone Bearer . Fill the hall with random level 1 monsters. Shuffle all remaining monster cards together . This setup takes a little more time to execute, but ensures that the dungeon starts easy, and ends hard .

village seTup

Sort all village cards into the categories of weapons, spells, villagers, and items . Shuffle each category thoroughly. Then place 3 equal stacks of weapon cards, and 2 equal stacks each of items, spells, and villagers on the board face up . These are your village stacks . Shuffle all level 1 heroes together. Divide them into 4 equal stacks and set them on the village board face up . These are your hero stacks . You cannot buy level 2 heroes; you can only level up to them . Basic cards and curses remain unchanged . All players gain: Village: Name 1 card . Move all copies of that card on top of a village or hero stack to the bottom of that stack . This lets you remove unwanted cards to create more purchasing options, or stash valuable cards that opponents might want . This is not a Repeat ability .

Separate all monsters by level. Shuffle four level 3 monsters in with the Thunderstone Bearer . Place them as the bottom of the dungeon deck . Place six more level 3 monsters on top of them . Place ten level 2 monsters on top of that, and then place four level 1 monsters per player on top of the dungeon deck . Thanks to Richard Launius and Tom Vasel for this variant.

Random dunGeon
Pick 3 monster groups at random, and shuffle them all together . Put a Thunderstone Bearer somewhere near the bottom . Good luck .

familiaR ChoiCe
When you defeat a monster in the dungeon hall, reveal the top 2 familiars on the deck . Choose one to keep, and shuffle the other back into the deck . This allows a little more choice in familiars .

sChool

of

haRd knoCks

You cannot buy heroes of level 2 or higher . You can only get them by leveling up .

37

solo ThundeRsTone
If theres no one else around, you can still enjoy playing Thunderstone . This 1-player version requires only minor rules changes .

solo play

Set up the game as normal, but do not fill the ranks of the dungeon hall during setup . Take your turns normally . At the end of your first turn, reveal the top card of the dungeon deck and place it in the highest rank of the dungeon hall . At the end of each following turn, reveal the top card of the dungeon deck and place it into the highest rank of the hall, pushing all monsters forward 1 rank . If the dungeon hall is full, the newly revealed monster pushes the monster in rank 1 out of the hall . This monster escapes and attacks the village! Place the escaped monster card face down off the board in a monster score pile . When you defeat a monster, add it to your discard pile. Do not refill the hall as you would in the normal game. It will refill by itself when you reveal the top card of the dungeon deck at the end of the turn . Note that any time you remove a monster from the hall, the monster in rank 1 will not be pushed into the village . When you fail to defeat a monster, it does not return to the bottom of the deck . Instead, leave it in the hall .

The game ends when you either defeat the Thunderstone Bearer, or the Thunderstone Bearer escapes to the monster score pile . If the Thunderstone Bearer is in the dungeon hall and the dungeon deck is empty, continue to move all remaining monsters down one rank each turn until the hall is empty . Note: In solitaire Thunderstone, you cannot use abilities that move monsters to the bottom of the dungeon deck (such as Deepstrider) .

avaTaRs
These are special promotional cards AEG will release soon after Thunderstone Advance . To find out how to get them, talk to your local game store, or visit our Web site at www .alderac .com/thunderstone . Avatars represent you, the party leader, and the skills you bring. Hand everyone a set of avatar cards (one each of Cleric, Fighter, Ranger, Thief, and Wizard) . Each player secretly chooses one avatar . Players reveal their avatars simultaneously and then return the rest to the box . The avatar is always in play in front of you . It never gets shuffled into your deck. Avatars start at level 1 . You may level up your avatar at any time, regardless of the action youve chosen, or whether it is even your turn . To level up your avatar, pay the XP cost (indicated in the lower left-hand corner of the avatar card) by taking the appropriate quantity of XP tokens from your pile and returning them to the pool .

winning

At the end of the game, total all the VP in your deck . Then total the VP in the monster score pile . If your VP total is higher than the monster score piles, you saved the village from destruction and win the game! Otherwise, the village is overrun . Better luck next time .

increased difficulTy

To play at Warrior difficulty, add these restrictions: 1 . Put out half the normal number of hero cards of each type, so there are three level 1 heroes, two level 2 heroes, and one level 3 hero . 2 . Put out only 4 cards in each village stack . 3. Start the dungeon hall filled with monsters. To play at Nightmare difficulty, add one more rule: Build the dungeon deck with only level 2 and level 3 monsters .

38

CRediTs
Original Game Design: Mike Elliott Thunderstone Advance Set Design: Edward Bolme, Mark Wootton Additional Design: Joe Babbitt, Curt Crane, Brent Keith, Jeff Quick, Peter Waldner Development: Joe Babbitt, Curt Crane, Mark Wootton Art Direction: Todd Rowland Cover Art: Jason Engle, Mark Tarrisse Graphic Design: Jason Engle, Kalissa Fitzgerald Writing: Edward Bolme, Jeff Quick Editing: Jeff Quick Proofreading: John-Paul Cheyne, Murray Chu, Ryan Metzler Layout and Typesetting: Kalissa Fitzgerald, Todd Rowland Production: Dave Lepore Brand Management: Jeff Quick Art: Jason Engle, Empty Room Studios, Erich Schreiner, Liam Peters, Mark Tarrisse, Shane Tyree

Playtesting: Jon Angus, Chris Barnhart, Rachel Bolme, Talon Bolme, Anna Bort, Paul Bort, Stuart Clark, William Collie, Kristin Crane, Jason Crognale, LeAnn Dennis, Shelly DiGiacinto, Todd DiGiacinto, John Fleming, Jim Getz, Sarah Getz, Chris Harshman, Rob Herman, Vince Herman, Matt Hoyt, Steven LaFollette, Rob Mackie, Aaron Michelson, Keith Miller, Tammie Miller, Erik Noble, Sean Orms, Amy Phillips, Meredith Quick, Joe Rapier, Jamie Ross, Gene Saunders, Dan Scheffel, Ivan Schoomer, Dave Snoddy, James Stewart, Sean Stewart, Andee Timken, Jamie Toon, Matt Vignau, Steve Wallace, Chris Wilson . Special Thanks: Jason Engle, for all the years of bringing Thunderstone to life; Ryan Metzler, for guidance on rules and issues; Ian Toltz, for his superb work on Thundermaster; Kali Fitzgerald for being so graceful under pressure and crafting Thunderstones new look; Ed and Mark for the great job they did streamlining the game rules and layout and for adding amazing new content to this edition of the game .

CopyRiGhT

and

ConTaCT

Copyright 2012 Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc . Thunderstone Advance, Towers of Ruin, Alderac Entertainment Group, and all related marks and images are TM and Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc . All rights reserved . Printed in China . Warning: Choking hazard! Keep away from small children! For more information, visit our Web site: www .alderac .com/thunderstone and www .alderac .com/forum Questions? Email CustomerService@alderac .com

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seTup oveRview
1 . Create Basic Decks a . Draw cards for basic deck . b. Shuffle and draw starting hand. 2 . Populate the dungeon a . Randomize monsters .

TuRn RefeRenCe
Prepare Village 1 . Use Village abilities as desired Place as many cards as you like from your hand on top of your deck . Discard the rest . (see page 16) and Trophies . 2 . Buy 1 card (see page 16) . Rest 3 . Level up heroes and avatars as desired Destroy 1 card from your hand . Discard the rest . (see page 17) .

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Dungeon 1 . Use Dungeon abilities as desired (see b . Build dungeon deck . page 17), equip weapons, and use c . Populate the dungeon hall . Trophy effects . d . Place familiars, curse deck, and XP 2. Select a monster to fight. tokens . 3 . Resolve Battle effects (see page 19) . 4 . Calculate your Total Attack Value, determine who wins (see page 19) . 3 . Populate the Village 5 . Resolve Aftermath effects (if any, see a . Place basic cards . page 20) . b . Randomize hero cards . 6 . Place an undefeated monster on the c . Stack heroes with highest levels on bottom of the dungeon deck . the bottom going up to level 1 . 7 . Place a defeated monster on your discard pile . Receive XP . d . Randomize village resources . 8 . Receive Spoils (if any, see page 20) . 9. Shift monster cards to fill empty ranks, and refill the dungeon hall. 10 . Resolve Raid and Breach effects (if any, see page 21) .